Uncertain Acqaintances
by Alec6427
Summary: Some new X5's show up in Seattle bringing a new enemy with them. Meanwhile Max and Logan drift quickly apart as Alec and Max grow closer together.
1. Five Ways from Sunday

Chapter 1: Five Ways From Sunday

By: Alec6427

Summary: Groundhogs Day type story. Alec is reliving the same day over and over.

Disclaimer: None of the characters from Dark Angel belong to me, they belong to the copyright holders of the show whoever those might be.

** Sunday Night, 11:45 p.m.:**

"Ok, ok. You are the ultimate X5. Now stop beating me," Alec once again threw down his pool cue in frustration.

"Aww, but it so much fun. Why would I want to stop now?" Max had a fake pleading look in her eyes, but when she looked up and saw Alec doing the same she cracked up, "Oh cummon, One more game,"

"No, I gotta go. Plus I think my pride is sprained, can't play pool with an injury, now can I?" he smiles, turned around and left.

** Sunday Night, 11:59 p.m. Alec's Apartment:**

Alec walked in and immediately stopped in his tracks, "Come out. I know you're in here," a man in a white lab coat walked out of the bedroom. He had black hair and blue eyes. He smiled shot a beam at Alec out of a small ugly device and bolted. Alec was thrown back about three steps, but he regained his balance quickly. He immediately ran after the guy but when he got out to the street he felt a bit of static, but aside from that there was nothing.

** Monday Morning, 12:20 a.m. Max's Apartment:**

Max opened the door to find Alec standing there. She put on her patent annoyed face, even though she knew it was just for show, "What do you want Alec. It's after midnight,"

Alec grinned, "Ok, three things. 1. You don't need sleep. 2. You were just asking me not to leave Crash 20 minutes ago and 3. For once I have a good reason,"

Max sighed, "Ok spit it out,"

"This guy was in my apartment when I got home and he zapped me with something, then he just ran,"

"So?"

"Well why didn't the beam seem to do anything big and why didn't I catch up to him?"

"Alec, we can deal with this in the morning,"

"It is the morning,"

"Alec, leave,"

"Ok, but if my head explodes then it's your fault this time,"

"Alec, leave. NOW!"

"Bye Maxie,"

"Bye, Smart Alec,"

**Monday Morning, 10:53, Logan's Apartment:**

"And you say he was dressed like a Scientist?"

"Yep,"

"Well then that narrows it down. I'm sorry (cough) to say that until we see some effects we can't figure this out. Of course you and Max can go looking for him, but I don't know what good it will do,"

Alec looked a little nervous, "Oh great, so if I die in the middle of the street, then we can start to guess what this thing does?"

"If only," Max muttered under her breath from her perch on the couch armrest.

Alec shot her a wicked glance and said, "Ooh Maxie, wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Do you have a right side of the bed?"

Max kicked him, but to both both Alec and Logan it seemed more playful than angry. Alec looked at her in surprise while Logan looked at her nervously. Max looked back and forth between them and shrugged her shoulders saying, "What!"

Alec shrugged and said, "Well if we have no idea what this is about then I'll just be going home. I don't want to blow up in the middle of traffic,"

**Monday, 6:00a.m., Alec's Apartment:**

Alec walked over to the couch and lay down. He switched on the t.v. and settled in. After about twenty minutes his eyes drifted down after about ten seconds they opened again when he found himself falling backwards.

**Monday Morning, 12:01 a.m., Alec's Apartment:**

Alec was so surprised that he didn't catch himself and he knocked his head on the wall. He recovered quickly. He looked around and wondered if he had been sleep walking again. He felt perfectly awake. He walked out the door and closed it before noticing that the door hadn't been closed. He shrugged, walked down the stairs, went outside. He felt an odd feeling like the air was electrified next to him, but he just ignored it. He made his way to Crash hoping that his friends would be there. He felt playing a game of pool.

** Monday Morning, 12:05 a.m., Crash:**

Max was out the door as Alec arrived. She looked at him in amusement, "Back for more," she asked mockingly. He looked at her blankly. She continued to prod him, "Your pride healed already?" Alec figured it out and grinned at her.

"It only took a day,"

"A day to you, but here on planet earth it's only been 20 minutes,"

"Wuh," was all he got out through his surprised gaping mouth.

He looked at himself and saw that his outfit had changed and Max was wearing the outfit she had been wearing the night before. He grinned and then frowned, "I think I've figured it out now,"

Max looked at him like he was some crazy guy on the street with a sign that read 'The End Is Near' she looked at him for another minute before saying, "Wuh"

**Monday Morning, 1:10 a.m., Max's Apartment:**

It had taken Alec an hour to explain the situation to Max the second time and now they were trying to figure out how to deal with it, because they both figured that it would happen again if they didn't do anything about it, "Maybe if you don't go to sleep until tomorrow," 

Alec looked at her a grin on his face, "Worth a try. Good idea Maxie,"

**Monday Night, 11:59 p.m., Alec's Apartment:**

Max had come over an hour before so that she could be around to see if her idea had worked. The plan was for Alec to go to sleep at 12:15, so that it would be well into the new day. They were sitting around on the couch waiting for the time to come. Alec looked at his watch and began to count down from ten.

"Would you stop counting?"

"Eight,"

"Stop it,"

"Seven,"

"Alec!"

"Six,"

"I love you,"

Alec looked at her in shock, wondering if she had said that just to get him to shut up. He looked down at his watch, two, one.

**Monday Morning, 12:01a.m., Alec's Apartment:**

His eyes were completely open this time and it was no surprise. He really wasn't expecting it to work. He steadied himself before he even started to fall backwards and bolted after the guy who had just shot him. He was a blur as he ran down the stairs and into the street. Once again all he felt or saw was the static off to his side. He sighed and decided that this time he would try to deal with it on his own. He didn't want any help.

**Monday Afternoon, 3:00 p.m., JamPony:**

Alec slammed his helmet into his locker and walked over to Normal's booth, "I got something I gotta take care of Norm. See ya tomorrow," he grinned to himself and walked out the door. Outside he ran straight into Max. He fell backwards and smacked his head against the wall of his apartment.

**Monday, 12:01 a.m., Alec's Apartment:**

"Damn it, not again," Alec yelled as he pushed himself up off the floor. He walked out the door and out of the building, he felt what felt like static in the air, but that was it. He walked off towards Crash. He might as well try to win a game of pool against Max. Practice makes perfect.

**Monday, 12:05 a.m., Crash:**

Max was out the door as Alec arrived. She looked at him in amusement, "Back for more," she asked mockingly. He looked at her smuggly. She continued to prod him, "Your pride healed already?" Alec grinned at her.

"If it isn't will you kiss it and make it better?"

"Not on your life,"

"Well then, it's healed all on it's own. How about we play another game,"

**Monday, 12:25 a.m., Crash:**

It had taken 20 minutes, but Alec had finally figured out her weakness, she relied on herself as a distraction for her opponent. Alec had thought about how to use this against her and decided to use the same trick against her. He did everything he could to get her to look at him and when she did look up he did his best to look charming and then when he was shooting he didn't look at her.

She was ten games down and he was grinning like a mad man. He looked at her and saw the moping look on her face, he could tell she was about to quit, he couldn't have that so he shot the cue ball into the corner pocket. She grinned and he faked a disapointed frown. From then on he let her win every other game.

**Monday, 11:50 p.m., Max's Apartment:**

Max and Alec had spent the rest of the day together, after another hour of trading off winning games of pool, they had gone off for a day on the town. When they had gotten tired out from that they had gone back to her place to hang out, quietly. They sat there in happy, comfortable silence. Alec turned to her and said, "What do you see in him?" he regretted saying this as soon as he realized he had.

She smiled a sad smile at him and just looked at him for several minutes, then she opened her mouth to speak, closed it again and just stared at him for another couple minutes then said, "Alec there's something I have'ta tell you,"

"Shoot, anything,"

"Alec, I lu....."

**Monday, 12:01a.m.,Alec's Apartment:**

Alec was ready this time, before he even started to fall back he was running forward after his attacker. Once again he found nothing on the street. He decided that this time around he was going to go to Max's apartment. He walked off in that direction, forgetting about the static like area until he had walked straight through it. His skin felt tingly, but otherwise he felt the same. He shrugged and continued on to Max's apartment.

**Monday, 12:25a.m., Max's Apartment:**

Max opened the door to come in. She walked through and took the key out of the door. She turned around to continue in and found herself face to face with Alec. He grinned at her. She figured he was drunk, it wouldn't be the first time, "Hey, Alec. What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you, Maxie,"

"Why," she sighed out.

"I don't know. Last time around I never did get my answer. What do you see in him?"

She smiled patiently and walked Alec slowly over to the couch and lay him down, "Sleep it off Alec,"

He frowned, "No, not sleep, thats when it starts over from the beggining. I'm sick of it,"

She smiled at him sweetly and kissed his forehead softly like a mother kissing a child who has had a bad dream, "Sleep, sweet Alec. Sleep and have wonderful dreams,"

He grinned back sleepily and yawned, "Will you make sure I stay?"

"Yeah, I promise," Max looked past him to the table and saw a bottle of Vodka, completely drained. She sighed and covered Alec with a blanket. She took a seat on the coffee table and waited. 

**Monday, 3:00p.m., Max's Apartment:**

Alec stretched happily. He hadn't woken up in his apartment. He hadn't started all over again. He was right where he should have been, but he was wondering why he was so happy right where he should be. He opened his eyes to find himself looking into the grinning face of Max, "Good morning sleepy head,"

Alec bolted straight up on the couch. He looked around nervously trying to figure out what Max was up to being so friendly. He saw no reason apparent so he looked at her suspiciously. She just grinned sweetly at him. He looked at her and grinned back, "Is this a sting?"

Max grinned at him and let out a little laugh, "No, this is not a sting," she looked at him wonderingly and friendly like. She moved towards him and he slowly backed away holding his hands up, then he saw the time on his watch and let out two words, "Oh shit," he bolted out the door and towards work.

**Monday, 7:00p.m., Logan's Apartment:**

Alec walked through the door quietly. He thought to himself, "Why doesn't anyone lock their doors," and moved slowly towards the kitchen where he heard Logan and Max talking. He begins to listen in,

"I'm gonna tell him Logan. I'm sorry, but its true and he has to know,"

"Max, you've known him less than a year, do you really think it's been long enough for you to be sure,"

"You were sure about me in less than a year,"

"Max, you're like this untouchable goddess, you deserve to be worshipped. He is just some golden boy smart aleck who doesn't deserve the time of day,"

"I'm a what," Max said angrily, "Do you know what, now I'm glad I'm so untouchable,"

Alec could swear he heard the realization of what he had just said coming to Logan, he grinned to himself. He heard footsteps coming towards him so he took a flying leap into the living room and onto the couch. Max came storming around the corner and towards the door. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Alec. He smiled sweetly at her and she smiled nervously back. He motioned that he could leave if she wanted. She nodded. He got up to leave and she followed. He raised his eyebrow at her and she just smiled and waved him ahead. They left together and had a nice night on the town. He went to his house and she went to her own and they both woke up the next morning.

****


	2. One Night, Two X5's, and Free Drinks

Chapter 2: One Night, Two X5s, and Free Drinks

By: Alec6427

Summary: Max, Alec, Logan, and Original Cindy are at a party at Crash. Drinks are on the house, wackiness ensues. Takes place after 5 Ways From Sunday.

Disclaimer: None of the characters from Dark Angel belong to me, they belong to the copyright holders of the show whoever those might be.

The place was packed. The dancers were shaking the floor and the music wasn't helping much. Max, Alec, and Cindy had grabbed the last empty booth, before the party had started, and Logan had joined them shortly after. Each was having their own conversation, but no one knew what the others were talking about. No one heard what anyone was saying, but everyone heard when the bartender said, "Alright everybody, drinks are on the house,"

Max and Alec were the first to the bar. Max ordered a tequila and Alec ordered a vodka. They went back to their booth and each downed their drinks. While Original Cindy and Logan slowly walked over to get their drinks.

***

Two hours and god knows how many drinks later, Max's head was pounding and Alec was half asleep. Cindy was watching them with amusement. In the last two hours she had only had the one beer and she was happy about it. Max got up to leave to clear her head and stop it from pounding.

Another hour later Alec had sobered enough to want to leave. Cindy wouldn't let him leave alone, she was afraid he'd go and do something stupid if she did. So she took him to her place and plopped him down on the couch before going to bed.

***

Max arrived at her apartment after another couple of hours of drinking. She walked in to find Alec sleeping soundly on her couch. She tried to walk by quietly, but she had no coordination to speak of. She knocked into the couch and he woke with a start.

Alec was surprised to find himself waking up on a couch with Max sitting on the floor nearby. The last thing he remembered was thinking 'Free Drinks' and then waking up here. He looked around and realized why he was on the couch instead of his bed. This was her place. His head was pounding. He could tell that his self control was still a little out of it because he couldn't bring himself to stop looking at her, and he knew what he was about to say would not be coming out of his mouth on a normal night, "God, you're beautiful," he cringed, expecting to be smacked upside the head, when he heard the words coming out of his mouth.

Max looked at Alec curiously. She couldn't decide whether she should believe that she had heard what she had thought she had. She _had_ been drinking _a lot_. She looked at him, he smiled nervously, she smiled back and he grinned. She looked at his face and only one thing came to mind, "You wanna go out somewhere?"

***

The streets below were crowded and shown with headlight and street lamps. Above watching it all in a drunken awe sat Max. Alec stood nearby in silence, wondering what he should do. He watched Max's face, he watched as it went slowly from amazement to boredom and then as she stood up. She walked over to him slowly with a large wicked smile on her face. He watched her in awe as she walked, not wasting a movement, even though she was completely wasted.

She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around Alec's neck, "What do you think of me Alec?" Alec looked at her surprised. He pulled up all the self control he had to shrug her arms off of his shoulders. 

"Why?"

"Well everyone seems to have an opinion about me today. You're the only one I haven't heard from."

Alec couldn't help but laugh. He had overheard Max's earlier conversation with Logan, he had been wondering how she had felt about being compared to a untouchable goddess. He guessed under the circumstances it was apt description, but he wouldn't dare say that to her while she had that look on her face. He could tell she didn't enjoy the fact that he had laughed, "I'm sorry," he said , "It's just I know what this is about," the wicked grin returned to her face and she leaned in so that her mouth was right next to his ear and said in her most seductive whisper, "Oh, do you?"

Max backed up giggling. In her drunken and giddy state she had forgotten where she was. She began to wobble at the edge of the roof. Alec noticed just in time and grabbed her around the waist before she fell. He pulled her back in and hugged her to him in a protective way. She pulled her head back to look him in the eyes she saw the worry and caring in his eyes. She leaned back in, not towards the shoulder she had been leaning against, but towards his lips. He didn't notice until too late that she was going to kiss him, and once he figured it out his body didn't have enough strength to stop her.

Max felt a vibration at her waist and reached down to scratch the spot. Neither of the X5s noticed the pager that clattered to the ground and bounced off of the edge of the Space Needle.

***

Logan had been paging Max for five hours. He had to talk to her about their fight earlier that night. He walked up the steps to her apartment door and knocked. He heard foot steps inside and waited until the door opened and he saw Original Cindy standing in the doorway. She waved him in, but he stood their a minute before saying, "Where's Max?" 

Cindy turned to him and said, "I don't know. I don't think she's come home yet. Have you seen Alec?"

Logan looked at her quizzically, "Why are you looking for Alec,"

"He was staying the night and he's not here,"

"Well I haven't seen him. Can I wait here for Max?"

"Sure. Just don't expect me to wait up with you. Last time she came home before two she picked up a dry shirt and left,"

"Fine," Logan took a seat on the couch and waited.

***

Cindy and Logan were woken at about 3 a.m. by what sounded like a very clumsy drunk coming up the steps of the apartment building. They both made their way to the door and looked out into the hall. Cindy was amused to see Alec stumbling up the steps carrying something that looked like a black bundle. She looked at Logan this amusement still in her eyes and saw a very different look on his face, annoyance. She looked back at Alec and realized what it was he was carrying.

"Boo?" she asked questioningly.

Max lifted her head and turned it around to look at her friends standing in her doorway. She smiled drowsily, "Hey, Cindy," she said cheerily, then she turned to Logan and said in a mock serious voice, "Logan," then she turned to Alec and said through her giggles, "Hey, Alec." Alec smiled back at her and then continued his way towards the apartment. He walked through the door and into Max's room, he gently pried her off him and layed her down on the bed, before kissing her lightly on the head and walking back out the door.

Logan and Cindy were still waiting at the door. He walked up in a perfectly normal way and said simply, "Hey." Logan exploded, "What the hell was that. What the hell were you doing with her," Alec turned to him calmly and explained, "She dragged me along on a night on the town. I didn't think she should walk back on her own, what with traffic in the streets, so I carried her. No big deal,"

"That's the worst lie I ever heard. It doesn't take much imagination to figure out what you did,"

"Oh, then you should have no problem figuring it out," Alec said with his patent grin. He turned to walk away. Logan moved in to punch him, but Cindy beat him to it. Alec collapsed to the floor. Logan turned to her to ask, "What do you have against him?"

"Max is my friend,"

"Oh," Logan turned away and started leaving shouting over his shoulder, "I'll talk to Max tomorrow, once she's sober,"

Once Logan was gone Cindy helped Alec up. He looked at her rubbing his jaw and asked, "What the hell was that?"

"If I hadn't socked you, Logan woulda, and he wouldn't have held back,"

"You were more than enough,"

****


	3. What They Realized

Chapter 3: What They Realized

By: Alec6427

Summary: What's the point of a summary. It takes up where One Night, Two X5s, and Free Drinks leaves off. 

Disclaimer: None of the characters from Dark Angel belong to me, they belong to the copyright holders of the show whoever those might be.

Max woke up with a hangover and a worried frown on her face. The last thing she remembered was being at Crash with Alec, and Cindy, and (she frowned) Logan. She also remembered something about the Space Needle, but that was it. She got up and walked out her bedroom door and then suddenly everything that had happened the night before came rushing back into her head; the drinks, her and Alec's night on the town, almost falling off the needle, the kiss, coming home to her apartment and seeing Logan and Cindy, and all of that told her why she saw Alec's sleeping form on her couch.

She walked over to the couch and shook Alec slightly. His eyes opened slowly and a smile spread across his lips, "Have a nice night, Maxie?" She scowled at him and pushed him back "lightly" and he and the couch toppled over backwards. She looked down at the mess a little embarrassed that she hadn't been able to control her strength, but didn't apologize. He looked up at her, surprised at her strength. Then he looked down at his watch, put the couch back in it's rightful position, and bolted out the door yelling over his shoulder, "See ya at work, Maxie,"

***

Alec closed his locker and she was there, standing right in front of him. He sighed, "What did I do now?" She just stood there, looking at him, like she was sizing him up, "Stop it, Maxie. You're creeping me out," she stood there in silence for a couple more minutes until she saw a smile that said 'o u don't want to turn around,' Ignoring the warning the look gave her she turned around and came face to face with Logan.

"Max, we need to talk,"

"No, Logan, we really don't,"

"About what I said....I didn't think..."

"That seems to be recurring problem, doesn't it,"

"I didn't mean it that way,"

"Logan, we're through,"

Logan's face contorted in shock and sadness then it turned to anger as he looked over Max's shoulder to see Alec leaning against his locker, "I guess I have you to thank for this," Alec's face was full of shock until he heard those words, then he covered it up with his trademark smirk, "Maybe, but I'm sure you were a big help,"

Max looked at them both in disgust, "Jeez, Logan you are living in the Dark Ages," Alec's smirk grew, " and Alec, you are such a jerk," his face fell, but only a little. He had noticed how there hadn't been much oomph to her insult towards him. Max saw that the grin was still lingering on Alec's face, she pulled back to sock him in the arm, but Normal chose that moment to give them a run, "Hey, golden boy, you deliver this. Max, you take this," Alec looked at Normal and mouthed 'thank you,' and then ran out the door.

***

Max looked up at the huge mansion in disgust. It was covered in vines and it looked more like something that belonged in California than Seattle. It had a wide open courtyard and even though they were covered up there were lots of windows. She made her way to what she could only assume was the entrance. She knocked on the big metal doors and waited for the customer to come out and claim his package. From the other side of the door a kindly voice called, "Who is it," 

"Jam Pony delivery,"

"Just a second,"

From the other side of the door she could hear footsteps. It took about a minute for the doors to open and a man in his late twenties with brown hair to come out, "Liam Connor?" she asked him. He nodded and she held up the package and the clipboard with the receipt on it. He signed, took the package, smiled and turned around to go back in. Max's jaw dropped when she saw the barcode on the back of his neck, "Mr. Connor?"

"Yes?" he said turning around to face her.

"That's some tattoo you have there,"

He looked at her worried, "It's not nearly as the one on my back,"

"Well, what I like about the one on your neck is that I have one just like it,"

He looked at her like she was a ghost, but she continued on like she hadn't noticed, "Oh well. See ya 'round Mr. Connor,"

She turned around and left. If he wanted to talk to her he knew where she worked. He yelled to her as she left, "What's your name?"

"Max."

***

Alec scoped out the landscape as he moved towards the house's front door. It was an average house. Two stories. Looked like three bedrooms. He knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. It took three seconds for a girl of about twenty to come to the door. She was kind of skinny and short. She had blonde hair which she wore in a ponytail. She looked at him expectantly and he realized he hadn't said anything, "Are you a Ms. Elizabeth Winters?"

"Who wants to know?"

"Jam Pony delivery,"

"Finally, took long enough, so do I need to sign something,"

"Yeah," he nodded as he handed her the clip board. He looked at her and realized there was something familiar about her. She handed back the clipboard and he handed her the package, "Have a nice day Ms. Winters,"

"Yeah, whatever," she waved to him over her shoulder, opening the package with her other hand. He looked at her up and down trying to figure out where he'd seen her before. His eyes stopped on her neck, an X5.

"Good-bye, Ms. Winters. Arentcha so glad you got out?" he yelled over his shoulder as he walked away. Hearing his words she stopped dead in her tracks. She turned around and saw the mark she had only seen a few people sporting recently, "Same to you," she called to him.

"Names Alec," he called back, satisfied that he had gotten through to her, "Seeya 'round."

*** 

"We need to talk,"

"You're gonna love this,"

Both Alec and Max had spoken at the same time. They both signaled the other to go first and eventually Alec went first. He told her about the transgenic he had just run into. When he was finished Max told about the one she had run into.

"So there are two transgenics in town,"

"Five,"

"Yeah, five...and two of those five are receiving packages on the same day,"

"Yup, definitely exchanging love letters,"

"Get serious Alec,"

"Now, why would I want to go and do something like that?"

"'Cuz if you don't...just do it," Alec noticed that Max had held back her threat and he grinned widely before straightening out and saying, "Whatever you say Maxie,"

***

"We have news Will,"

"What is it pet?"

"There are at least two other X5 series transgenics in the city,"

"A male and a female. They both work for Jam Pony messenger service,"

"Well then, why don't you bloody well go out and invite them over for dinner, you ponce,"

"Yes o mighty William. Jeez, she's in charge here we just thought we'd let you know,"

Elizabeth, getting bored with William and Liam's argument silently slips out the door and towards the city. Its not until 

ten minutes later that the bickering men notice she is gone.

***

As Alec left work and headed for home he felt like he was being watched. He smirked and called out, "I thought I'd 

be seeing you again. Did you bring your boyfriend?" Elizabeth emerged from the shadows a friendly grin on her face, "Did you bring your girlfriend?"

Alec looked around with a grin then paused and said, "Oh you mean Max. She's not my girl…yet,"

"Cocky attitude you got there,"

"Thanks,"

"So where is, Max did you call her,"

"She'll be out this way any minute now,"

They both stand awkwardly waiting for the other to say something, finally Elizabeth broke the silence, "What's your 

designation?"

"X5-494, you?"

"X5-223, nice to meet you,"

"Yeah, same to you,"

"Wait, did you say 494?"

"Yep,"

"So you're the one who's helping, X5-452,"

"Yup,"

"Is that who you call Max?"

"Yu…nope, hiya Maxie,"

Elizabeth, twirls around to find Max standing right behind her listening to their conversation. She smiles and says, "You 

must be Max, I've heard so little about you,"

***

"So you three are…"

"..the last remaining members of group 240,"

Elizabeth had brought Alec and Max back to her house where William and Liam had been waiting somewhat patiently. The place was decorated like a normal twenty to twenty-five year old girl would decorate her house. There was red couch in the living room, a wooden table in the dining room and a couple of counters in the small kitchen. 

"So, sis and bros, how ya been doin," 

"Just fine," 

"Bloody well, fine," 

"Ok," 

"Jeez, try to contain your joy," 

*** 

Max, Alec, and Cindy were at Crash. Max and Alec had gotten a pool table and were kicking each others asses. She turned slightly to the table and said, "Hey Cindy, Lo...," catching her slip up she began crying. She missed him. Why did he have to be so much of a fuck up, speak before you think, jerk. 

Alec noticed the tears slowly flowing down her cheeks, *Damn* he thought *Why do I have to care so much* he slowly walked over to her and wrapped his arms comfortingly around her, she looked up at him and he leaned in and kissed her forehead softly, she smiled and he pulled her closer to him, she put her chin on his shoulder and closed her eyes taking in the warmth and kindness she felt from him. She opened her eyes to see the retreating form of Logan Cale at the door. She just closed her eyes again. 

*** 

Logan returned to his apartment in a rage he turned on the computer intent on revoking all of Alecs papers. Make him cease to exist. He heard a knock on the door and turned to the door a yelled come in, Max walked in and slammed the door behind her, "Now don't you go and do somethin stupid Logan. He was just comforting me, and I didn't stop him. Besides its no longer any of your business," 

"I don't know what I'll do without you Max," 

"Do who you did while you thought I was dead, Asha," 

"What?" 

"She told me," 

"She what," 

"I let it go cause you thought I was dead," 

"Max, I..." 

"Shut up and let me finish. You have no right to deal with anything for me without my express consent. You are not to act jealous, angry, or protective. You may not tell me what to do and if you do anything to screw with Alec's or even my papers I will personally take you to court as the hacker you are. Got it?" 

Logan slowly nodded, satisfied Max left throwing a harsh "Good riddance," over her shoulder as she did so. 

*** 

Alec lay on his couch comfortably, watching the news about some punk techno junkies who had beat the hell out of a clerk. He sighed and turned the TV. off and once again closed his eyes to sleep, hoping this time she wouldn't pop into his head. His wish came true, instead she popped into his apartment.

"Alec, wake up," His eyes opened slowly and he grinned,

"Not a bad image to wake up to, you should wake me more often. How about in about eight hours," with another grin he closed his eyes fully expecting what was coming next.

Max leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Alec, if you don't wake up now...," she waited ten seconds then whapped him upside the head, "Oww, I'm up," He got to his feet and looked Max up and down, then his eyes settled on hers, they were angry, but not at him. He knew when she was angry at him and this wasn't it, "Who did what when and how much should I kick their ass for it?"

Max smiled sweetly at him letting some of the anger leave her body. She walked up close to him and brought his arms around her waist, she leaned up and whispered in his ear, "How comfortable is the bed in this place," he looked down at her curiously and replied, "Depends on what you're trying to use it for," she smiled at him and said, "I need a place to spend the night where I don't have to be alone," he looked at her curiously then said, "I've never been able to sleep on it, but something tells me you can show me how to,"

***

Alec woke to find himself in his bed for the first time. He had never used his bed to sleep in, it had always seemed so big and lonely. He preferred the small comfortable closeness of the couch, but this was different, he was not alone. He lay on his back, he could feel her cheek pressed up against his chest and her arms wrapped around his neck. He shifted onto his side to look at her face. She was still asleep. She looked so peaceful he decided he would leave her there. He gently got himself out of her grip and he heard a quiet whine come from her mouth as he felt a chill fill him.

He leaned down towards her and lightly brushed a hair away from her face. Her eyes slowly opened and she smiled sleepily, "This isn't a bad image to wake up to, you should wake me more often," he grinned back, "I'll have to seriously consider that," a mock frown grew on her face and she whined out, "Come back to bed, its not as comfy and warm anymore," he sighed and looked into her beautiful brown eyes, "Wish I could Maxie, but I've got something I have to take care of. Go back to sleep and I'll come back soon," she closed her eyes still with a sleepy smile on her face, "Yes sir," she said in a mock soldier tone.

Alec, sighed and left the apartment, heading to the place he knew he'd find some answers. The first place anyone should look when trying to figure out what's bugging Max, because it was the one place where most of her problems originated.

***

Logan heard a knock at the door and hopefully bounded to the door wearing his bionic legs. He opened it and his hope turned to anger as he saw Alec standing in his doorway, "What do you...," Alec charged Logan and slammed him up against the wall, "What the hell did you do to her, you stupid ass hole?" Logan looked at him surprise in his face, "What do you mean,"

"You obviously did something to upset her and I want to know exactly what so I know what I'm kickin your ass for,"

"She came here, she yelled at me, she left,"

"Well then...," Alec brought Logan back and slammed him once more into the wall, "If you ever hurt her again, you have me to deal with, got it?" Logan gritted his teeth and nodded. Alec turned around and headed out the door, "Later, bionic bunny,"

***

Max woke to find Alec once again asleep next to her with his arms around her. She turned over to look at him and he pulled her to him possessively. She smiled and leaned her chin on his shoulder while gently tracing patterns on his back with the tip of her finger. She looked over at his clock and saw the time she frowned then sighed in submission she moved up to his ear and whispered, "Alec," he groaned, "You really should get a job as an alarm clock, you wouldn't be doing anything you don't already do," she sighed again and said, "Alec, wake up or you'll be late for work," he growled, "Good, I'd like to see what Normal would do if his 'Golden Boy' didn't get to work on time,"

"Alec,"

"O why don't we just call in dead?"

"Because then we couldn't come back,"

"You did,"

"Haha, get up,"

"Nah, how 'bout sick can we call in sick,"

"No,"

"Sleepy?"

"Yes I am, and no we can't call in sleepy,"

"Damn, I'm out of ideas,"

"Good,"

"O well,"

Alec slowly lifted himself out of the bed and stood up. He went into the closet and pulled out a camouflage green t-shirt and a matching pair of cargo pants. He looked over at Max and saw that she was frowning, "What is it?"

"My clothes, I didn't notice before, but their covered in mud,"

"So?"

"I can't go out covered in mud,"

"Wear something of mine,"

"Sure you don't mind?"

"Yeah,"

"Coo'"

***

JamPony had one of its busiest days all year and it was during the messenger shortage. Everyone got triple their normal number of deliveries and they had to deliver them in half the time. As Max and Alec headed out the door Alec whispered out the corner of his mouth, "My plan is sounding really good now isn't it?"

*****


End file.
